Contused

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Harmed by a blunt force causing bruising beneath the skin
2. Suffering tissue damage marked by discoloration without breaking the skin
3. Having an area hurt through impact resulting in swelling and color change

Etymology: The Latin verb "contundere" meant to pound or beat something small, and it was built from "com-", meaning "together" or "thoroughly", plus "tundere", meaning to beat or thump. English took the idea of beating and bruising, and "contuse" came to mean to injure the flesh without breaking the skin, which is what "contused" describes. The adjective "contused" is simply the past form of that verb, so it names a bruised area of the body. The original Latin sense of pounding something into small pieces is the literal picture behind the medical meaning: the tissue is struck hard enough to be crushed beneath the surface while the skin stays whole.

Synonyms: bruised, injured

Antonyms: healed, uninjured